Device for closing sliding doors.



J. H. RYE & J. E. PLEXNER. DEVICE FOR CLOSING SLIDING DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED r113. 19. 1914.

1, 1 18,81 Patented Nov. 24. 1914.

TIVESSES INVENTORS ATTORNEYS @&

Wag. W414 THE NORRIS PETERS CQ. PHOm-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D. C

UNITED STATE PIENT OFFICE.

JOHN HENRY RYE, OF BOISSEVAIN, VIRGINIA, AND JEFFERSON EMIL FLEXNEB', OF

GARY, \VEST VIRGINIA. i

DEVICE FOR CLOSING SLIDING DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 19, 1914. Serial No. 819,720.

Tazewell and State of Virginia, and Jun- FERSON E. Fmazxnnn, a resident of Gary, in the county of McDowell and State of West Virginia, both citizens of the United States,

, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Closing Sliding Doors, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to sliding doors, and more especially to devices for closing such doors, the more particular purpose of our improvements being to insure the automatic closure of the door under such conditions as to cause the door to move at a substantially uniform velocity in the act of closing, and to maintain the door at all times under suitable degree of springtension, the latter being adjustable at the will of the operator.

Our invention further relates to improvements generally in the means for actuating the door and for the spring mechanism and parts immediately associated therewith, for the purpose of enabling the operator to ad-, just the sensitiveness of these parts.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view showing our device as applied to a sliding door, the

- parts appearing partly insection and partly in elevation. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism used :for adjusting the tension of the sprin Fig.3 is:a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the dizl'ection ofsthe arrow, and showing details of the revoluble barrel and the spring mechanism carried thereby. i

A sliding door is shown at 41, and in this instance is used for the purposes of a show case, the bottom or floor of the show case appearing at 5, these partsbeing made of wood or other material suitable for the purpose.

The bottom 5 is cutaway at 6, and fitted into the mutilation thus made is a metallic casing 7 held in position by screws 8 or equivalent fastenings. The casing 7 carries an annular bearing 9, which is secured to the bottom 5. by aid of fastenings 10, these fastenings thus coacting with the fastenings 8 f0r holding the casing in position. An

other bearing 11, somewhat smaller than the bearing 9, is supported upon the underside of the bottom 5 by aid of fastenings 12. A revoluble barrel 13 is supported by the bearings 9 and 11, and is provided with a reduced neck portion 11 which extends through the bearing 11. A shaft 15 extends through i the barrel l3 and engages the neck 1% rela tiv clyto which it is loose, and encircling the shaft 15 is a spirally wound or overcoil spring 16, which in this instance is shown as consisting of three concentric windings. One end 18 of this spring is secured to the inner surface of the barrel 13, at a point located adjacent the neck 14. The opposite or inner end 17 of this spring is secured directly to the shaft 15, at a point located near the bearing 9.

A hearing 19 of annular: form, integral with the casing 7, supports one end of the shaft 15. Mounted rigidly upon this end of the shaft 15 is a Geneva ratchet '20, provided with concave faces 21 and with notches 22. Located adjacent this ratchet is a Geneva pawl wheel 23, provided with lobes 24c, and with teeth 25, which are alternated in position with these lobes. mounted integrally upon a short stem 27, the latter being journaled in the casin r and being free to turn, but normally i dle. The Geneva pawl wheel 23 issecured rigidly upon a stem 27, but is adapted to turn there with whenever the thumb-piece is rotated by hand. The operator by grasping the thumbpiece 26 and ti'n'ning the Geneva pawl wheel 23 causes the Geneva ratchet 20 to turn.

slowly step by step, and to virtually remain locked in any position into which it is thus turned. The Geneva ratchet :20 and the Geneva pawlwheel 23 together constitute a Geneva stop, for enabling the shaft 15 to be rotated slowly step by step and held in the various positions into which itis turned, so as to place the spring 16 under varying degrees oftension, at the will of the Patented Nov. 24., 1914..

A thumb-piece 26 is slide door4 is moved to the left according to Fig. 2, the strap 29 causes the pulley 28 and the barrel 13 to rotate in a contra-clockwise direction according to Fig. 2. This increases the tension of the spring 16, and as soon as the door is released it is moved back into its normal or closed position by action of the spring.

The parts are so proportioned that when the spring is under a moderate degree of tension the door will close, but not with undue abruptness. In other words, the tension of the spring is preferably so adjusted as to barely overcome the friction of the door in closing. lVhenever, owing to wear of parts or to relaxation of the tension of the spring, it becomes desirable to increase the tension of the spring, the operator merely grasps the thumb-piece 26 and turns it sufficiently to accomplish this purpose. He can relax or lessen the tension of the spring by turning the thumb-piece in a direction contrary to that used for winding or tightening the spring.

Our device admits of general use upon sliding doors, but is of peculiar value in connection with show ases used for displaying goods, such for instance as cigars, confectioneries or groceries.

lVe do not limit ourselves to the precise construction shown, as variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A device of the character described comprising a strap adapted to be secured to a door, a pulley around which said strap is partially wound, a barrel secured removably to said pulley and mounted to turn, an overcoil spring located with said barrel and secured thereto, a shaft extending through said barrel and to which the spring is secured, and means for locking said shaft in different positions in order to adjust the tension of said spring.

2. A device of the character described, comprising mechanism including a revoluble barrel for shifting the position of a door, a spring located within said revoluble barrel and secured thereto, a shaft connected with said spring, a Geneva ratchet secured rigidly .to said shaft and revoluble therewith, and a Geneva pawl wheel engaging said Geneva ratchet for turning the same and for locking said ratchet inv different positions.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a strap adapted to be connected with a door, a pulley engaging said strap, a revoluble barrel secured rigidly to said pulley and revoluble therewith, a spring connected at one of its ends to said barrel forturning said barrel, a shaft connected to the other end of said spring, and means for locking said shaft in different positions, in orderto control the tension of said spring.

l. A door closing'device, comprising a casing, a revoluble barrel having one end projecting into the casing, a pulley secured to the end of the barrel within the casing, a shaft extending through the barrel and casing, a spring in the barrel and secured thereto and to 'the shaft, means whereby the shaft may be turned and locked in position to adjust the tension of the spring, and a flexible member having one end secured to the pulley and winding thereon, the other end of the member being adapted to be secured to the door.

A device for closing the sliding door of a case or the like, comprising a casing having a lateral bearing and adapted to be secured to the floor of the case, a bearing also adapted to be secured to the flooring of the case, a barrel mounted in the casing and bearing with one end projecting into the casing, a pulley on the barrel Within the casing, a shaft extending through the barrel and casing, a spring in the barrel and secured thereto and to the shaft, means for rotating the "shaft and locking it in position to adjust the tension of the spring, and a strap having one end secured to the pulley, the other end of the strap being adapted to be secured to the door of the case.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to the foregoing specification in the presence'of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN HENRY RYE. JEFFERSON EMIL FLEXNER;

WVitnesses to the signature of J Henry Rye:

D. E. BLANKENSHIP, E. CoNNER.

Witnesses to 'the signature of J elferson E. Flexner: JOHN PORRONI,

GARE BRUNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 110.? 

